Includes SPOILERS for Mufasa: The Lion King
Tying intoMufasa: The Lion King, previous iterations of Disney media can help figure outwhat exactly happens to Simba and Nala after the main story concludes. Almost everyone has seen the original 1994 version ofThe Lion King, and though the 2019 live-action animation remake was far less successful with audiences, it still managed to gross a worldwide total of over $1.6 billion, making it one of the highest-grossing films ever.Mufasa: The Lion King’sstoryserves as both a prequel and a sequel, as the origin of Mufasa and Scar is told as an in-world story to Kiara.
Kiara is the daughter of Simba and Nala, whom they have at the end ofThe Lion King.Mufasa: The Lion King’sendingalso reveals the birth of Simba and Nala’s son, who’s suspected to be Kion from the Disney animated seriesThe Lion Guard. This continues the circle of life and sets up some young protagonists for futureLion Kingmovie spinoffs. Though Donald Glover and Beyoncé had cameos in the movie as Simba and Nala, the prequel’s ending seems to indicate that they are taking a backseat, allowing Kiara and Kion to take the reins.
Simba Banishes Any Lions Who Supported Scar
The Outsiders Are Created By Scar’s Loyalists
While theMufasaending saw its titular character show mercy on Scar despite his betrayal, allowing him to remain in the Pride Lands, Simba is less merciful, banishing the lions who supported Scar. Thoselions are banished to a place called the Outlands in the movieThe Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, where they become known as a group called the Outsiders. This is also the name of theWhite Lions inMufasa: The Lion King, so it’s possible the Disney films will establish some connection between the two.
5 The Lion King Sequels Mufasa Sets Up
Mufasa: The Lion King may not be the end of the Disney franchise, with the ending offering several paths for potential sequels and spinoffs.
The original animated sequel movie sees Simba advising Kiara to stay away from the Outlands, but she goes there regardless and meets a young lion named Kovu. This importantly mirrors Simba’s own life as a cub, where he didn’t listen to his father and it resulted in tragedy. Because of this, Mufasa is overprotective of Kiara and instates harsh rules. In the movie, Nala recognizes Simba’s fault here, acknowledging Kiara’s similarities to her young father. This eventually leads to conflict between Simba’s Pride and the Outsiders.
Simba & Nala Have A Son After The Lion King
Simba’s Son, Kion, Leads The Lion Guard
AfterThe Lion KingandSimba’s Pride,Simba and Nala have a sonnamed Kion. He ends up being thelead protagonist in a Disney animated series calledThe Lion Guard, which expands on the mythology created in the original two movies. Kion is the leader of the titular Lion Guard, an organization tasked with protectingthe Pride Lands. Because Kiara is their heir to the Pride Lands, Kion’s destiny is to lead this group, protecting his sister’s land and right to rule, as well as the Circle of Life.
Kion has a special power called the Roar of the Elders, which makes him an immensely powerful lion. This power gives him several abilities, including being able to summon the spirits of old lion kings. Using this gift,he’s able to commune with Mufasa, making it all the more important that he was born at the end of a prequel movie aboutMufasain the modern Disney renditions. Importantly, he also gets tricked into summoning the spirit of Scar, allowing the villain to return at a certain point.
It seems like Disney wants to set this universe up for longer-term storytelling, and the cyclical aspect of it all is paramount.
It’s unclear how much the Disney live-action animation movies will introduce the powers from the animated show. However, an important aspect of Kion is that he’s deeply principled out of fear of turning out like Scar. The ties between these characters are vital to the storytelling inThe Lion Kingworld, which is why it’s important to flesh out the background between Mufasa, Scar, and other characters. It seems like Disney wants to set this universe up for longer-term storytelling, and the cyclical aspect of it all is paramount.
Simba & Nala Go To War Against The Outsiders
The Outsiders Are The Main Antagonist Of Simba’s Pride
Going back toSimba’s Pride, the main premise of the movie is that Simba and Nala are forced to go to war with the Outsiders. Kiara becomes friends with the young lion named Kovu, but Kovu’s mother is Zira, the leader of the Outsiders and the movie’s main antagonist. She’s secretly beentraining Kovu as an assassin and plans on using him to assassinate Simba, seeing her son’s friendship with Kiara as an advantage over the Pridelanders. Another important narrative element is that Mufasa’s spirit hopes to unite the Pridelanders and the Outsiders through Kiara and Kovu.
The Lion King: Who Were Mufasa’s Parents?
The new live action prequel from Disney retconned some of the previously-established information about Mufasa’s parents in The Lion King franchise.
Years later, Kovu rescues Kiara and earns enough of Simba’s trust to be welcomed into the Pride Lands. Though he’s there with the intention of killing Simba, he falls for Kiara due to some help from Rafiki, and he begins to second-guess his mission. This forces Zira to take matters into her own hands, and a war begins. Believing Kovu to be at fault, Simba banishes the young lion, with whom his daughter has become infatuated. Because of this, Kiara and Kovu work together to try to prevent bloodshed.
Simba Welcomes The Outsiders Back As Part Of The Pride Lands
Simba Unites The Outsiders & The Pridelanders
The Outsiders and the Pridelanders eventually engage in a climactic battlewhere Simba defeats Zira. Then,Simba’s Prideends with Simba welcoming the Outsiders back into his territory as his father had hoped, united under Kiara and Kovu. Simba is then congratulated by the spirit of Mufasa, who praises his son for uniting the two prides. Simba even tries to convince Zira to make peace before she dies, but she’s consumed by her hatred for Simba and admiration for Scar.
TheMufasa: The Lion Kingprequel movie set up many of these elements, such as Mufasa’s origin story, the Outsiders, Kiara and Kion, and Simba and Nala’s return, potentially preparing audiences for a new iteration ofSimba’s Pride.Disney hasn’t announced any plans to do so, but given the 2019Lion Kingmovie’s immense box office success, they’ll likely want to get as much out of the title as possible. The 2024 prequel may have seemed contrived to some, but it importantly established many of the stories going forward.
Mufasa: The Lion King
Mufasa: The Lion King explores the origins of the beloved character Mufasa, focusing on his youth as a lost cub who encounters Taka, a royal heir. Their meeting initiates an epic journey of self-discovery and destiny, featuring a group of misfit companions navigating the challenges of their world.
